institution has 140 patients under treatment, and yet there are in
the State 300 insane persons (exclusive of idiots) who are totally
unprovided for. Applications are rejected for want of room, and an
immediate enlargement of the buildings is contemplated. It is stated
that there are in Indiana 442 insane, and 617 idiotic persons. Of
the 292 patients who have been treated in the hospital, only 78 were
natives of Indiana.
_Deaf and Dumb Asylum._--One hundred and thirteen pupils were under
instruction at the date of the report, and the earnings of the pupils
during the year, are valued at $3,770. Only two deaths occurred during
the year.
_Institution for the Blind._--Fifty-two pupils are under instruction,
from 33 counties. “The superintendent is of opinion that all
applicants of sound mind, and not above twenty-one years of age,
should be received, provided they are otherwise qualified, reserving
discretionary powers as to the rest.” A new building is in progress,
which will enlarge the accommodations so as to admit every blind child
in the State, who is capable of instruction.
ALABAMA.--We are happy to observe, by the public prints, that the
people of Alabama have resolved to establish, forthwith, an Insane
Hospital and a Deaf and Dumb Asylum.
KENTUCKY DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM.--The Annual Report of the Trustees of
the Deaf and Dumb Asylum shows that the institution is in a prosperous
condition. There were 60 pupils in the institution from January 1
to November 12, of whom 29 were males and 21 females. Forty-five
inmates of the institution are from Kentucky, 9 from Louisiana, 1 from
Arkansas, 1 from Mississippi, and 1 from Tennessee.
_From the Episcopal Recorder._
This periodical gives a large amount of information on Prison
Discipline, and cannot fail to interest such as grieve over the
sufferings occasioned by crime, and regard the imprisoned criminal as
still belonging to our common humanity, and needing the commiseration
of the wise and good.
_From the Public Ledger._
We have received the October number of the Pennsylvania Journal of
Prison Discipline and Philanthropy, published under the direction
of the Philadelphia Society for alleviating the Miseries of Public
Prisons. It is stored with interesting matter.
_From the Presbyterian._
We have been reading with great interest the Pennsylvania Journal of
Prison Discipline and Philanthropy.
AN INQUIRY
INTO THE ALLEGED TENDENCY OF THE SEPARATION OF CONVICTS, ONE FROM THE
OTHER, TO PRODUCE DISEASE AND DERANGEMENT.
BY A CITIZEN OF PENNSYLVANIA. _Philadelphia_: E. C. & J. Biddle. 1849.
It is, as might possibly be anticipated from the residence of the
author, an elaborate and ardent defence of the separate system of
confinement. The charge of its peculiar tendency to induce disease and
insanity, is altogether denied, and the testimony of the successive
physicians to the Eastern State Penitentiary, during a term of nearly
twenty years, goes very satisfactorily to warrant the denial.
The author is not, however, inclined to rest at this, but carries the
war into the enemies’ camp. The chapter entitled Medical Practice,
in a Congregate Prison, is calculated to attract attention, from the
positions laid down in it, and their startling illustrations, deduced
from the well known case of Abner Rogers. It is not the time or the
place for us to enter on this warmly controverted subject, and we
have noticed the work only on account of its bearing on the subject
of insanity, and as forming a part of its literature.--_Am. Journal
of Insanity, published by the Superintendent of the New York Lunatic
Asylum, July, 1850._
So far as the leading controversy, in regard to the rival systems of
prison discipline, is concerned, it seems to us to cover the entire
ground with singular ability.--_Princeton Review._
☞ A few copies of this pamphlet are still on hand, and may be had on
application to the publishers, corner of Fifth and Minor streets, or to
any member of the Acting Committee.
OFFICERS FOR 1852.
PRESIDENT--James J. Barclay.
VICE-PRESIDENTS--Townsend Sharpless, Charles B. Trego.
TREASURER--Edward Yarnall.
SECRETARIES AND COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE--
William Parker Foulke,
Edward Townsend.
COUNSELLORS.
Job R. Tyson,
Garrick Mallery.
ACTING COMMITTEE.
James J. Barclay, Townsend Sharpless, Charles B. Trego, Edward Yarnall,
William Parker Foulke, Edward Townsend, Job R. Tyson, Garrick Mallery,
F. A. Packard, Jeremiah Hacker, William Shippen, Charles Ellis, Dilwyn
Parrish, A. T. Chur, Morris Wickersham, M. W. Baldwin, Mark Balderson,
Joshua L. Baily, George Dilks, Thomas Latimer, Josh. T. Jeanes, John M.
Wetherill, Horatio C. Wood, John Lippincott, John J. Lytle, Henry M.
Zollickoffer, W. P. Sharpless, William S. Perot, Rodman Wharton.
☞ Quarterly Meeting of the Society on the 12th of July instant.
ODD NUMBERS SUPPLIED.
There are no full sets of the FIVE volumes of this Journal (already
published) on hand, but a large stock of odd volumes and numbers. Many
complete copies of Vols. I. and II., can be had, and a few of Vols. IV.
and V. If any person has duplicates of Vol. I, No. 1, Vol. II., No. 2,
Vol. III., No. 1, Vol. IV., No. 3, or Vol. V., No. 1, they will oblige
us by sending them to the office of publication. Copies of Vol. I., No.
4, Vol. II., No. 1, Vol. III., Nos. 3 and 4, Vol. IV., Nos. 1, 2 and 4,
and Vol. V., Nos. 2, 3 and 4, will be given in exchange, or supplied to
such as want them.
“JOURNAL OF PRISON DISCIPLINE AND PHILANTHROPY,”
_Published by the “Philadelphia Society for alleviating the Miseries of
Public Prisons.”_
DESIGN AND PLAN OF THE WORK.
The members of this venerable Institution, which has been mainly
instrumental, in introducing the great reform in Prison Discipline
that has distinguished the last half century, have long felt the
need of such a medium of communication with the public as is now
proposed. Their attention has of late been more especially aroused
to the importance of the measure, from the deep interest which has
been awakened in such reform; and from the misapprehension which
prevails, as to the true principles and results of what is termed the
“Pennsylvanian,” or “Separate System.”
Of the intrinsic usefulness of a Journal of this nature, it is believed
but one opinion can prevail among the intelligent and humane. One of
the most active and well-informed of those engaged in the reform of
Prisons, has justly remarked, that “judgment is but the result of
comparison.” All reasonable men, before deciding on a measure, will
acknowledge the importance of becoming acquainted with the history and
results of similar efforts. Hence the necessity felt by all civilized
nations, of publishing and preserving public documents, reports,
discussions, criticisms, &c. In America there is no adequate provision
for the preservation of these, so far as they relate to prison reform;
they are scattered among an accumulation of pamphlets on other
subjects, are frequently destroyed, and are always difficult of access;
and the labour which ought to furnish instruction for our future
progress, and for posterity, becomes too often merely temporary in its
utility.
At the present time a greatly enhanced importance is attached to a
publication of this kind, as a medium of communication with foreign
countries. Several of the governments of Europe are endeavouring to
ascertain the best system of Prison Discipline, with a view to its
adoption; and although the Society have no doubt which of the methods
now in existence is the best, some Philanthropists of the Old World are
yet undecided.
It is from a knowledge of these facts and from a belief that it is due
to themselves and the cause of humanity, that the Society have been
induced to undertake this publication.
TERMS.
This periodical is published quarterly; each number to contain at least
48 pages octavo. It will be delivered without charge to members of the
Society; but to those who are not members, the price is $1 per annum,
always in advance, or 25 cents a number.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] For example, in the New Jersey State Penitentiary, the plan of
which was inspected by the English and French commissioners, the
warden’s department is in immediate connection with the observatory.
[2] See our April Number, pp. 84, 85.
[3] In those States where it is usual to transfer insane convicts to
a Lunatic Asylum, the boon would certainly have been extended to two
of our convicts, and thus the institution in which the mental disease
originated would not have had to account for its physical termination.
This fact should be remembered, when comparing our state of health with
similar establishments, as it shows that the Eastern Penitentiary has
always had a double mortality to account for, that which is due to it
as a penal institution, as well as that which properly belongs to an
Insane Asylum.
[4] Published by Acting Committee of the Philadelphia Society.
[Transcriber’s Note:
Page ii, continuation of paragraph from Page iii joined to start of
paragraph.
Page 96, erratum incorporated into text.
Obvious printer errors corrected silently.
Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.]